Combination fruit or flower cutter and holder



Jan. 18, 1949. w. R. MABREY COMBINATION FRUIT OR FLOWER CUTTER ANDHOLDER Filed March 28, 1947 In z'entm' Wi'iiz's z zMafirey Patented Jan.18, 1949 COMBINATION FRUIT R FLOWER CUTTER AND HOLDER Willis R. Mabrey,Oildale, Calif. Application March 28, 1947, Serial No. 737,949

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an implement adapted to be supported on thehand and be utilized for cutting and holding the stems of fruit orflowers, so that by a single operation the stem of a piece of fruit orof flower may be severed and grasped by the implement and thus supporteduntil moved to a position to be released into a suitable receptacle.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide animplement of the afore described character capable of being readily usedefficiently with the thumb and index finger of either hand so that animplement may be applied to each hand and both hands employedsimultaneously for cutting or harvesting flowers and fruit or the like.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide an implement havingresilient means for normally maintaining it in an inoperative, openposition and which is actuated readily by a manual pressure of the indexand thumb being moved toward one another for moving the cutting andclamping portions of the implement into operative position forsimultaneously cutting and clamping a flower or fruit stem.

Still a further objezt of the invention is to provide an implement ofthe afore described character of extremely simple construction capableof being economically manufactured and sold and which is very light inWeight so that it will constitute substantially no burden on the hand orfingers of the user.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the implement in its normal position foruse in harvesting fruit, such as bunches of grapes, and

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views of the implement takensubstantially along planes as indicated by the lines 2-2, 3--3 and 4-4,respectively, of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the

combination cutter and holder in its entirety is designated generally 5and includes a coiled spring 6 preferably formed of a relatively heavygauge strand of resilient wire having legs 1 and 8 projecting from thetop and bottom of the coiled portion 6 and in normally divergingrelationship to one another, as clearly illustrated in Figure l. The leg1 is provided with longitudinally spaced, substantially-parallel ring01' loop portions 9 and I0 which project outwardly'therefrom' andwhichare disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of the leg I. Therings or loops e and Ill may be formed integral with the leg l' orsuitably secured thereto in any desired manner, as by welding orsoldering. The leg 1, between the rings or loops 9 and Ill is-providedwith an inthe latter from support ll.

As seen in Figure 1, the loop or ring 9 is disposed adjacent the coil 6and the loop or ring ill is disposed at the outer end of the leg I. Theleg :8 is provided with an outwardly and upwardly curved hook-shapedportion i4 forming a semiloop and disposed in corresponding relationshipto the loop 9 and has a loop or ring portion l5 at its outer endcorresponding to the loop iii. A guard l5, preferably formed of a softmetal and which is arcuate shape in cross section is mounted on the leg8 between the portions i l and i5 with said leg 8 extending through thethickened central or bight portion of the guard i6 and being suitablysecured thereto in any suitable manner as by soldering or welding, asindicated at IT. As seen in Figure 2, the hook shaped portion M isprovided with an offset portion S8 to accommodate the lower part of theinner end of the guard it. As best seen in Figure 3, the convex side ofthe guard 16 faces inwardly or toward the blade l2 and has alongitudinal groove I9 to receive the cutting edge l3'when legs 1 and 8are moved toward one another. lhe concave opposite side 20 thereof facesoutwardly.

As best illustrated in Figure 3, the complementary ring or loop portionsill and i5 preferably form integral extensions of the legs I and 8,respectively, and have complementary ends formed integral with said legsand opposite ends 2i and 22, respectively, terminating in spaced apartrelationship thereto or to the legs I and 8 and which are provided withextensions 23 and 24, respectively, which initially extend inwardlytoward one another from the ring or loop portions Ill and i5 and whichare thereafter turned rearwardly and extend toward the spring coil 6.The portions 23 and 24 terminate at their inner or rear ends in upturnedlegs 25 and 26, respectively, which are disposed loosely in the bore ofspring 6 and thereby pivotally mounted relatively to each index finger.

other. Legs 25 and 26 have outturned terminals 2'5 to prevent theirdisengagement from spring 6. The strand portions 23 and 24 are normallydisposed in outwardly diverging relationship, sub stantiallycorresponding to the normally outwardly diverging relationship of thecutting edge 3 to the guard Hi.

To employ the cutter and holder for cutting grapes or otherfruit;.not'shown; the indexa'finger of the right hand is passed throughthe portions l4 and I5 and bears against the concave side 20 the cuttingedge of the blade when said legs are moved toward one another againstthe. resiliency of the coiled spring, and gripping jaws formingextensions of the legs and disposed in oilset, substantially parallelrelationship to the blade and guard and adapted to be actuatedsimultaneously therewith for grasping the stem of a flower or fruit asit is severed by the cutting blade.

2.2An implement as in'cla'im:.1", said legs having ofisetportions"disposed-adjacent the coiled spring for positioning the legs insubstantially of the guard i6, and the thumb of said right hand, notshown, is inserted through the loops or rings a and I!) so that thespring coil Swill be 1 disposed at the root or bight of the thumb and Byexerting an inward pressure with the thumb and index finger for movingsaid parts toward one another, the blade I 2 and guard IE will be swungtoward one another and like-- wise the strand portions 23 and 24,forming jaws, will swing toward one another, all of said parts movingtoward positions in parallel relationship to their complementary parts.Assuming that the stem of a bunch of grapes, not shown,

is disposed between the jaws 23 and 24 and between the blade l2 andguard [6, said stem will be initially clamped-betweenthe jawsqjzt .and 25 and immediately thereafter or almost simultaneously; thestem willbecut thereabove by the cutting edge l3v moving into engagement with thegroovelSof the guard [6. By retaining the parts thus disposed, thebunchof grapes will be grasped between theclamping jaws 23 and 24- and thusheld until moved to a' position over a basket or other receptacle atwhich time inward pressure is released by the thumb and index fin.- gerallowing the coilspring 6 to return the thumb and finger and parts totheir positions of Figure l to release the bunch of grapes and toposition the implement. 5 ready to. repeat the operation, previouslydescribed;

By inverting the implement 5 so that the thumb engages the portions l4and I5 and the index finger engages the portions 9 and I0, saidimplement can be operatedin'the same manner for cutting flowers and withthe holding jaws 23 and 24 disposed, above the cutting blade l2 so thatthe flower stem will be clamped between the jaws 23 and 24 between theflower and the cut made in the stem by the blade I2 thus enabling theflower to be grasped and held until placed in a suitable receptacle orotherwise disposed of,

As best illustrated in Figure 4, the legs 'l and 8 are olfset adjacentthe spring coil 6 so as to bedisposed in substantially the same plane inorder that the cutting edge of the blade will move toward theintermediate portion of the guard, containing the groove I9, and so thatthe jaws 23 of and disposed with its cutting edge. facing toward theother of said legs,said: other leg being provided with a..finger guardhaving a .longi:

tudinally extending; groove: disposed: to: receiver,

the same plane, and said jaws being disposed in a-planesubstantiallyparallel to the legs and being disposed in outwardly divergingrelationship to one another and substantially corresponding to therelationship of the blade and guard, when theimplementisin an open,inoperative position.

3. An implement as in claim 1, said jaws being pivotally connected at thl. An implement as in;claim 1, said legs having onset portions'disposedtadjacent'the coiled-spring for positioningrthe legszin,substantially the :same

plane; andsaidjawslbeing, disposed ina plane:

substantiallyparalleLto' the-legs and being'dis-jv posed in .outwardlydiverging relationship to one another and substantially corresponding tothe 7 relationship of the blade and'guard, .whenthe implement is inan-open, inoperative position, said.

jaws being. pivotally connected at their inner, terminal ends. 1 1, g

. 5.- A holding and cutting:vv implement. as .in Claim. 1, thefingerengaging portions of ,one of said legs being. adapted to engagethe index finger and the finger engaging portions of the other leg beingadaptedto engage the thumb 'of' l the same hand for positioning. thecoiled spring.

adjacent the root and bight of said index finger and thumb and whereby.the jaws willbe moved" toward gripping engagement and the blade will bemoved into cutting position: relatively to" the. guard when said legs,are moved toward one another by inward'movement of the thumb and Iindexfinger, said coiled spring: functioning tow bias the parts back totheir original, open .po'sitions. l 6.. In a holder and cutter forfruitand flowers or the like, a coiledspring having legs projecting from theendsth'ereofin norma'lly diverging relationship, finger engagingportions projecting out-- .Wardlyfrom each-ofthe legs; a blade-carriedby one of said legs extending: longitudinally thereof and disposed withits cutting edge facing toward:

the other of said legs, said otherxleg being provided withafinger'guard'having: an inwardly'opening' i v grooveeXtendinglongitudinally ofthelegs and: disposed to'receivethecuttingedge ofthe blade when said legs are moved toward one-anothen againstthe'resiliencyof the coiledspring, and

gripping jaws forming extensionsof the legs'and disposed'in offset,substantially parallel relation ship to-theblade' and guard I actuatedsimultaneously' therewith for grasping the stem of aflower' 'or fruitthe cutting blade, said guardbeingt of arcuate' and adapted to be crosssection and having an. innerrconvexside facingtoward v the cutting edgeof the blade2and" in which saidigroove is formed and-,an :outer, .con-

cave side. adapted to receiveztlie: finger" orithumb for shieldingsaidrzparts from'the cutting edge of g.

the blade.

7. An implementtas'inclaim Fr, said first men tioned leg being; providedwith. a blade holder: extending between the finger, enga inportionsthereof, said; bladeholderubeing; channel.:.shaped-::

, andbei-ng,disposedito1onerdmi ardlg fonsupport-;v :7

eir inner, terminal ends.

ing the blade on the inner side of said leg and with the cutting edgethereof facing toward said guard.

8. An implement as in claim 6, said gripping jaws having upturnedterminal portions loosely disposed in the coil spring and pivotallymounted thereby relatively to one another.

9. An implement as in claim 6, said first mentioned leg being providedwith a channel shape blade holder for receiving the blade and having thechannel portion thereof opening inwardly, and said blade holder beingprovided with a slot communicating with said channel portion and adaptedto receive a pointed instrument for engagement with the back edge of theblade for ejecting the blade therefrom.

W'HJLIS R. MABREY.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Starrett Bonehill Kerns REFERENCESCITED record in the Date Feb. 18, 1902 Sept. 9, 1930 Sept. 9, 1930

